1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to enhanced methods of operating games of chance. More particularly, the invention is a method of operating primary and secondary (or bonus) games wherein the outcome of the secondary game, while determined partially by chance, is bound by results from either a primary game or from an initial determination of an award or prize amount on the secondary or bonus game.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gaming devices of various types have been in use for many years. The most common type is the conventional slot. A player operates a slot machine by providing coin or paper monies that are received as game credits towards playing a game (i.e., placing wagers) on the slot machine. Some machines allow a user to provide game credits in the form of a voucher, a printed coupon or a data card (e.g. magnetic strip or smart card). Once the sufficient amount of game credits has been provided to constitute a wager, the player then initiates the game, normally by pulling a handle or activating a button. If a winning event occurs pursuant to the game, the slot machine issues a winning amount according to the player's wager and to a predetermined pay scheme. The game results are generally based on randomly generated events, or may be based on a random draw from a fixed pool of results (e.g., video lottery pool). The winning amount issued to the user is provided by a corresponding amount of game credits, which the player may redeem (cash-out) or use for further play on the slot machine. Similar game play and award schemes are provided according to other gaming devices such as video poker machines and keno machines.
Secondary (bonus) awards have been introduced as improvements to conventional gaming devices to entice increased game play and income for casinos. For example, a common bonus scheme is to award a player a chance to multiply his award winnings pursuant to a secondary or bonus stage of the game. Most bonus awards are simply an increased multiple of the primary winnings and are issued as game credits suitable for redemption or further play of the gaming device. Traditionally, secondary bonus games are implemented on the same gaming apparatus or housing as the primary game, sometimes sharing the same video display, or otherwise integrated as a “top box” to the primary gaming device.
When the secondary bonus round is reached during play of the primary game, the bonus award is predetermined by a random process, after which the bonus award is displayed and paid to the player. The display may appear to be randomly generated at the time, but in reality the display is controlled to display the bonus award previously determined by the random process. While this implementation provides various means for displaying the selected bonus award, the implementation is nevertheless limited to displaying the actually predetermined bonus award and paying out that amount to the player. As a result, players who are cognizant of this process become disinterested in the secondary bonus round of play, thereby reducing the overall game play and revenue for the gaming operator.
What is needed is a way of managing the operation of the game of chance so that the secondary game process is bound by the predetermined secondary award while providing flexibility and randomness, within predetermined bounds, of the secondary game payout. As will be described more fully below, such an arrangement expands the available means for awarding and displaying a secondary bonus award.